Automobile body



J. TJAARDA 2,122,445

AUTOMOBILE BODY Filed Sept. 21, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR. Jbbn Zj'aarda- A T'l'ORNEY-fi July 5, 1938. J. TJAARDA I I 2,122,445

AUTOMOB ILE BODY Filed Sept.' 21, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN'IOR.

.Jblzn 7jaarda.

ATTORNFRv J. TJAARDA AUTOMOBILE BODY July 5, 1938.

Filed Sept. 21, 1955 s Sheets-Sheet 3 I N V EN TOR. J'al'ln y'aarda Patented July 5, 1938 'AUTOMOBILE BODY John Tjaarda, Birmingham, Mich., assignor to Briggs Manufacturing Company, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application September 21, 1935, Serial No. 41,558

2 Claims.

This invention relates to automotive vehicles and more particularly to improvements in the frame and body structure of automobiles whereby substantial elimination in weight and better dis- 5 tribution of loads may be secured without sacrificing strength and durability while at the same time permitting the application of full streamlining principles to the design of the body. While embodying improvements over my prior application, Serial No. 736,139, filed July 20, 1934, certain important features of the invention disclosed in said application are applied to the construction of a body and chassis design for mounting the engine at the front end thereof.

An object of the present invention is to provide a unitary body and mainframe or chassis structure having means for mounting the engine at the front end thereof and so designed and constructed as to cause substantially all load stresses to be transmitted and distributed throughout the entire unit whereby the upper body structure forms with the base or chassis frame members a unitary load carrying carcass, thus permitting the base frame and upper body structure to be greatly reduced in weight while preserving maximum strength.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved automobile body in which the entire side walls and roof of the structure form with the chassis frame a" unitary part of the stress and load carrying frame of the vehicle.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved load carrying framing for an automobile wherein the base is in the form of a pair of spaced longitudinally extending truss .or torque members, and wherein torsional stresses and forces are transmitted from said trusses or torque members and in part absorbed by reinforced bottom, side and top body walls forming with the 40 said truss members a unitary load carrying frame.

A further object'of the invention is to provide a unitary body and frame carcass of relatively light weight and of great strength and embodying skeleton framing including spaced longitudinally extending bottom truss members having transverse rib members .rigidly mounted thereon and which form portions or lower sides of conf for mounting the engine at the front end thereof and having fully streamlined characteristics, and wherein maximum strength and lightness are secured by providing an improved unitary frame and body carcass designed to distribute load stresses and forces uninterruptedly throughout 5 the enclosing frame of the vehicle body, and wherein the frame structure is so designed and arranged as to provide forward and rear bulkheads effective to consolidate stresses transmitted through the framing. 10

Another object of the invention is to provide a body of the foregoing character in which the contour of the front fenders extends into the front doors, thereby greatly increasing the streamlined effect and at the same time reducing wind resist- 15 ance.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description and appended claims when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part 20 of this specification.

In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary central longitudinal sectional view, shown in perspective, and illustrating a unitary body and frame structure em- 25 bodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal side elevation of an automobile body embodying the invention.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view, partly broken away, of the body of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section, taken substantially along the line 44 of Fig. 3 in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section taken substantially along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4 in the 35 direction of the arrows.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view illustrating schematically in simplified fashion a skeleton carcass embodying the main features of the frame structure.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view, on an enlarged scale, of a detail of the frame structure.

Before explaining in detail the present invention it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illur trated in the accompanying drawings. since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, and it is not intended to limit the invention claimed herein beyond the requirements of the prior art.

In the present preferred form of the invention,

herein illustrated by way of example, the frame structure is designed for a fully streamlined automobile having the engine thereof mounted in the,

front end adjacent the front steering wheels. The invention is shown, is applied to a four door sedan but it will be understood that it may be adapted with suitable changes in design to other types of automotive vehicles. hicle body is distinguished in at least one important respect from conventional types of automotive vehicles by the elimination of the custom-' arybhassis and body units in which the chassis is designed to receive and carryall load stresses and the body merely forms an enclosure for housing the passenger compartment. In the present instance the load carrying frame of the vehicle includes as a unitary structure not only the base frame but also the framing extending therefrom and which embraces the passenger compartment of the vehicle, and the stresses are transmitted uninterruptedly through the framing and consolidated at the front and rear bulkheads beyond opposite ends of the passenger compartment.

Referring now particularly to the drawings, it will be seen that there is provided a pair of spaced longitudinally extending lower truss members or chords Ill which, as shown, are in the form of steel sills: Rigidly mounted on the longitudinal truss members Ill and suitably spaced longitudinally of the vehicle are a series of transverse struts or ribs I I, l2, l3 and I4, these being preferably in the form of structural members of channel shape, all of which are fixed to the truss members In in any suitable manner such as that shown in detail in Fig. 7. Each truss member I0 is supported at the two longitudinally spaced points II and I4 and provides a lower chord extending between these points of support. Extending upwardly and rearwardly from opposite ends of the transverse bar II and rigidly fixed thereto, as by welding, are front diagonal brace membersor front inclined posts or struts l6 and I6, these brace members being formed by stamping. The upper ends .of the brace members I! and I6 are butt welded at a: to the ends of channel members or struts l8 which extend through the dash and are connected to front sloping pillars or posts l9 and 20 which are rigidly fixed,

as by welding, to the opposite ends of the transverse bar or channel member I2. The pillars l 9 and 20, as shown, are in turn welded to the opposite ends of a transverse channel member 2| forming the lower margin of the windshield opening. Extending upwardly from the transverse base member or rib l3 at opposite ends thereof are substantially vertical center pillars 22 and 23 which are rigidly secured to the ends of the member l3 as by welding. The upper ends of these pillars or posts 22 and 23 are Joined by a transverse metal cross-member or roof bow 24 welded or otherwise secured to the upper ends thereof, see Figs. 1 and 6. Extending upwardly from the transverse base member or rib26 (see Fig. 1) are upright intermediate rear tonneau posts or pillars 26 and 21 having forwardly sloping upper portions (see Figs. 1 and 6) which are fixed to the opposite ends of the bar 26, as by welding. The upper ends of the pillars or inter-- mediate rear tonneau posts 26 and 2 1 are rigidly oined together by a transverse bar or roof how 28 which may be fixed to the upper ends of the pillars by welding. Extending upwardly from the rearmost transverse base member or rib l4 at opposite ends thereof arerear posts or. pillars'29 and 30 which are rigidly secured to the ends of the mem- The present veber l4 as by welding. The upper ends of the pillars 29 and 30 are curved forwardly at 29a and 30a to form continuations of the roof rails and are connected, respectively to the pillars 26 and 21 by welding. A transverse cross-member or metal roof bow 3| is connected at opposite ends to the pillars 29 and 30 at points between the upright portions of these pillars and the forwardly extending portions 29a and 30a thereof.

The pillars 26 and 29 on one side and the pillars 21 and 30 on the other side are connected together at points intermediate their upper and lower ends by longitudinally extending channel members or brace bars 32 and 33, respectively. In Fig. 6 these bars 32 and 33 extend rearwardly beyond the pillars 29 and 30 and are inclined downwardly and secured to the base frame or floor portion of the rear deck at points 32a and 33a. In Fig. 4 the wheel housing flange 60, stifiened to support the rear fender, forms a mechanical continuation of the struts or bars 32 and 33, extending rearwardly and downwardly to the rear transverse tie bar 6| joining the rear terminal tural form.

A longitudinal roof rail or upper chord member 36 serves to rigidly join together the pillars I 9, 22 and 28. In like manner, the pillars 20, 23 and 21 are rigidly joined together by a longitudinal roof rail, header, or upper chord member 3!. It will be seen that the roof rails 36 and 31 are secured in a rigidmanner by welding to the forward extensions 29a and 30a, respectively, of the rear pillars 29 and 30. Thus, the rear pillars 29 and 30, with their extensions 29a and 30a, form substantially integral continuations of the upper chords 36 and 31 as well as the forward pillars I9 and 20 and struts or braces l5, I6 and I6. It I will be noted, Fig. 1, that the roof rails are interconnected by a transversely extending windshield header member 38 located above and in a plane at the rear of the transverse belt bar 2|, the header 3-9 and the bar or panel 2| providing the top and bottom framing for a windshield.

In the present construction, theengine is located at the front and in advance of a onetached to the flanges in any suitable manner. A transversely extending channel member or,

brace 43 is provided andis secured at its opposite ends to the members 4| and 42. An inclined toe board 44 is secured at its upper edge to the jog 40a of the dash. The skeleton frame structure including the longitudinal truss members l0 and transversely extendingcross-frame members or trusses l2, l3, l4 and 25 are covered by a metal floor pan' 45which extends throughout the length of the carcass from the toe board 44 reara the longitudinal truss member.

wardly to a suitable point beyond the rear ends of the pillars 29 and 30. It will be noted (see Fig. 5) that the floor pan is provided with side longitudinal flanges 45a and that centrally thereof the metal of the floor pan is shaped to provide a longitudinal tunnel Mi which extends from the toe board it rearwardly to the upwardly inclined portion Mb of the floor pan. The transverse strut or rib i3 is provided with a centrally disposed depressed portion 03a which cooperates with the tunnel 46 to receive, if desired, a longitudinal torque tube through which the drive shaft extends. The pillars 26 and 2'! are braced, transversely, by means of an upstanding channel shaped tie plate M which engages the rear faces or flanges of the pillars and is secured thereto, as by means of welding. The plate 41 is preferably notched out at its central portion to fit over the tunnel 46 and is flanged at 51a so as to provide means for securing the plate to the tunnel by means of welding, see Fig. 5. If desired, the floor pan 45 may be secured either by welding, riveting or bolts to the various truss and brace members of the under-structure of the skeleton frame. The various pillars are reinforced at their points of connection with the transverse base members or ribs by means of suitable gusset plates. In Fig. 1, gusset plates 22a. and 26a are provided .for the pillars 22 and 26, respectively. As seen in Fig. 6, similar gusset plates are provided at 20m and 23a for the pillars 20 and 23, respectively. These various gusset plates are welded to the pillars and to the transverse base members so as to provide a rigid and sturdy construction.

Referring particularly to Fig. 4, it will be noted that the rearwardly and downwardly extending channel members 32 and 33 are secured to and support a cross-plate 50 which forms a rear wall or partition of a spare tire compartment 5|. It will also be seen that the floor pan 45 is connected to a portion of this partition. The lower flanges of the members 32 and 33 provide means for the attachment of the rear fenders.

Referring particularly to Fig. 7 wherein there is shown a detail of the connection between the longitudinal truss members ill and the transverse base member or channel i3, it will be seen that the member It is split and flanged at B3!) so as to provide means for attaching the member to As shown, the flanges i3?) abut opposed faces of the central web of the longitudinal truss member and are secured thereto and to one another by riveting. If desired, however, these parts may be connected together by welding or in any other similar manner.

Referring particularly to Fig. 2, A representsa front fender and B a rear fender, whereas C and D represent, respectively, the front and rear doors at the left side of the body. The front door C isexternallyv contoured at C toform a continuation or rear extension of the front fender contour. In reality the front fender A terminates at the front edge of the door C but by so contouring the door the efiect is as though the front fender extended continuously in a rearward direction beyond the front edge of the door and overlapped the same.

By reason of the construction of the preferred form of body illustrating the present invention, front and rear bulkheads are provided beyond opposite ends of the passenger compartment.

Two bulkheads are provided at the front and the rear of the vehicle, indicated respectively by the letters F and R. Said bulkheads are formed by two transversely extending members ll and I4 and they serve to brace laterally the bridge trusses formed on the sides of the vehicle by the upper and lower chords and vertical members, and to support the trusses so formed at the points of juncture of said chords. By providing the bulkheads there are thus furnished, first, supports for the trusses to ensure their proper truss action and, second, rigid members to which the front and rear wheel suspensions are secured. It will be understood that the top panel and the body panels, when secured to the carcass, together with the floor pan, provide supporting means to receive and transmit the stresses and forces through the entire structure, thus relieving the chassis from the burden of receiving all such forces and stresses as in the present types of bodies and frame constructions wherein the chassis and frame receive all of the forces and the body merely provides a passenger compartment wholly supported by the frame. In this respect the present construction is generally like that of my aforementioned application Serial No. 736,139, filed July 20, 1934. The longitudinal strains and stresses from the cross member H5 at the rear bulkhead R are transmitted through the members 29, 29a, 36, I8 and i5 to the cross member II at the location of the front bulkhead F thus distributing these forces through the framing structure and concentrating them at the front bulkhead. Strains and stresses from the front bulkhead are transmitted in a similar manner through the various members just mentioned to the rear bulkhead.

Thus, in one of its broader aspects my invention contemplates providing a novel unitary body and chassis structure composed of two simple trusses disposed in two vertical planes longitudinally of the vehicle, the trusses being rigidly braced laterally and supported at their extremities by two load transmitting bulkheads. Each of said trusses includes two longitudinal members which are rigidly braced in transverse, substantially vertical direction, the extremities of said members converging and being connected totion is herein illustrated and described, the same is capable of being modified without departing from the spirit of my invention. For instance, the curvature of said converging longitudinal members may be changed so that the lower member has a greater curvature than the upper member. The angles, which said converging members make at their connected extremities, may-be different at the front and at the rear of the vehicle. In manufacture it may be found more convenient to make the longitudinal members in sections, and in some instances such sections may be made integral with the vertical truss members, so that continuity of the longitudinal members is effected only after the trusses are assembled.

I claim:

1. In a vehicle having a passenger compartment, a pair of spaced longitudinally arranged and laterally braced trusses, each of said trusses being adapted to be supported at two points and comprising a lower chord extending between said points of support, a front post connected at its lower end to said lower chord and extending vertically therefrom, an intermediate rear tonn-eau post connected at its lowerend to said lower chord and extending vertically therefrom, its upper portion being bent to form a forwardly directed inclined portion an upper chord having a. downwardly bent front portion merging into said front post, said upper chord extending rearward and attached to the upper end of the forwardly inclined portion of said intermediate rear tonneau post, a substantially vertical center pillar attached at its ends to said lower and said upper chords, a front inclined brace member attached to said upper chord substantially at the point of merging of said chord into said front post and to the lower chord substantially at the peint of truss support, and a rear inclined post attached to said upper chord at the place of juncture at said chord and the intermedi ate tonneau post and 'to the lower chord at the. point of truss support.

2. The structure as defined in claim 1, comprising a transverse member extending between the points of juncture of the upper chords and front posts of the trusses, said transverse member forming the lower margin cf an unobstructed windshield opening.

. a JOHN 'I'JAARDA. 

